About the time I finished my last post, we had a couple more updates on the boys. Pictures say so much more than words, so I’ll let them speak for themselves, but here are some shots of the boys playing as they do most days – and ending up looking like they do by the end of most days. In so many ways, we feel like we have stepped back a few generations from what we know of modern Western culture. One of them that we appreciate is the freedom our kids have to explore freely throughout the great outdoors and enjoy unstructured (and apparently unsupervised) play without the distractions of busy American life.
Rowan also lost his first tooth this week! He actually knocked it loose playing soccer with his friends at school and we monitored it all day, including a few failed attempts to extract it. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner that included sweet corn from the market and afterward discovered that it was missing! We’re assuming that it snuck down with the corn, but we have a request in with the tooth fairy to see if she would be willing to make her payment without proof. This isn’t the first lost tooth for the DeKams in Zambia as Clayton has lost 2 since arrival, but we are celebrating with Rowan’s first. He is very excited because African folklore has it that when a child loses a tooth he places it under a hollow gourd and in the morning finds a chicken! We’ll see…
The DeKam Family in Zambia 
So fun for them! Although the laundry must be something.
As a construction family that works in rivers, we feel the connection with mud…and laundry 🙂
Hi Tina,
This story is priceless! How sweet!!!! Thank you for sending the info on the boys….they are just adorable! God has truly blessed!
Hugs all around from Donnie Waterhouse P.S. Hope that we soon hear from John Mizerak but nothing yet. Don’t know how long the mission trip was either.
Love the mud. What kind of soap do you have????
The pictures do say MORE than words. Being a mother, however, I sympathize with Tina. The laundry must be a huge job.
I especially like that last shot of the little feet – what fun! It was so great to see pictures of family visiting recently. I’m sure their time with you flew by too fast. I don’t comment often, but wanted you to know that you are all in our prayers – Larry and Jana Plaisier
I absolutely love the pictures!! Reminds me when spring rolls in and the kids go out in the back 40 to play in the mud! 🙂
Looks like they are having a blast!
I also wonder what Lilly would think waking up to a chicken under her pillow. 🙂
She also lost her tooth and left a note to the Tooth Fairy promising she really did lose a tooth and wasn’t just trying to cash in. Thanks so much for the pics and updates; I love reading them!
Oh Tina! From a preschool teacher’s perspective, your kids are getting the best education ever! I love the pics and the info. Outdoor experiences – learning doesn’t get any better than that.
Oh, I hope the water supply doesn’t stop again any time soon!! I love the close-up picture of Rowan – he looks just like his dad! What an education your boys are getting! Keep the updates and pictures coming:-)
LOVING these pics!!! My boys are so jealous! What a great time they look like they are having…love the smiles! Keep the pics coming!
I feel like that have gotten so big! Miss you all. Praying for you and hoping you are all doing great!
they…not that
Great stuff. They don’t make mud like that in Leighton.